Hosting the 2026 Ballon d’Or, Henry faced backlash and took to his socials the next day to respond.
Co‑presenting with Kate Scott in London, the ex‑forward was singled out for several comments and issued a defence on Tuesday via his accounts.
Everyone knows what he wanted
“I’ve seen the chatter around the ceremony, so I’ll clear up a few points for those who got worked up for no reason,” Henry began. He recalled asking Lamine Yamal, three‑time Kopa Trophy winner, whether the award was truly his desire while the Ballon d’Or outcome was still pending.
Minutes later Harry Kane clinched the Ballon d’Or ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Yamal. Henry later said, “Regarding Yamal, I never meant to bruise his ego. I merely noted his third Kopa win and asked if he really wanted it, which got a laugh. We all know his wish. Sadly, he didn’t get it.”
Henry insists he’s a “big fan” of Yamal. “If the joke missed the mark, I get it, but please don’t repeat it,” the former France U21 boss added. “He’s one of the few players I’d actually pay to watch – I love him.”
Will future ceremonies steer clear of such jokes?
During the show Henry also called out Kate Scott, his regular CBS Sports Golazo partner, over the mispronunciation of Brazilian legend Sócrates. “Kate was in on the gag, you can ask her,” the 1998 world champion said. “She did it on purpose. I understand the joke didn’t sit well, but don’t claim I disrespected her – we were colluding, stop fabricating stories.”
Henry also revisited his tribute to Harry Kane, hinting he’d have preferred a French winner given Mbappé finished second. “One last thing, if you skip our CBS show, Kane recently accused me of backing Mbappé,” he said. “I replied: even as a Frenchman who always cheers for my countrymen, ‘You’re a deserving champion. You’ve earned it. You embody the work ethic I’ve always praised: talent plus hard work.’”